Data & Analytics

Sport Chek has opened a flagship in the largest shopping mall in North America: West Edmonton Mall, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada). The sporting goods retailer has woven interactive technology and digital installations throughout the 80,000-sq.-ft. space, which is designed to offer a personalized shopping experience that connects consumers to the sports they are passionate about.

Ann Inc., parent company of Ann Taylor and The Loft, expects net sales and same-store sales to increase for the fourth quarter and full year fiscal 2013, on a year-over-year basis.

For the full year, Ann Inc. issued guidance for total net sales of $2.49 billion, reflecting a total net sales increase of 5% and a same-store sales increase of 2%.

Northbrook, Ill. — Pine Tree Commercial realty has appointed Ryan Montes to the post of property manager and asset management coordinator. Montes will manage three Pine Tree assets, while overseeing quarterly asset management meetings and portfolio reporting.

Montes comes to Pine Tree from Miller Capital Advisory’s asset management and reporting group, where he handled reporting and analysis for over 10.4 million sq. ft. of regional and lifestyle shopping centers.

Food Lion has unveiled a new online tool, MVP Coupon Hub, to make accessing grocery coupons online easier for customers.

The new tool, found on the grocer’s website features load-to-card and printable coupons.

Nashville, Tenn. – Kirkland’s Inc. reported improved year-over-year net sales for the full fiscal year 2014 but a decrease in the fourth quarter. Net sales increased 2.7% to $460.6 million during fiscal 2014, compared with $448.4 million the prior fiscal year, while same-store sales rose 0.5%.

During the fourth quarter, net sales decreased 4.2% to $156.1 million, compared with $162.9 million in the previous fourth quarter. Same-store sales were flat.

Seattle – Amazon.com is reportedly using image recognition technology to allow consumers to wave an iPhone in front of a product and automatically have it placed on their Amazon shopping list. According to the Puget Sound Business Journal, this feature uses the iPhone’s built-in camera, eliminating the need for barcode or QR code scanning.

New York -- Shopko is leveraging social media to promote its expanded assortment of national brands. The retailer is holding an eight-week Facebook contest offering participants a chance to win prize packages associated with the featrued brands.

Government regulators tend to complicate retailers’ lives more often than not, but one federal agency is winning praise from a key trade group for its common sense approach to compliance.

Yesterday, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its Notice of Data Availability (NODA) as part of its process to improve existing regulations that have been applied to the handling of unsold or returned consumer products at retail facilities. The Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) released the following statement today in response to EPA’s notice.